t before him. There was no
immediate danger to be apprehended from the students. Harry Green had
been outwitted, and with proper precautions their other pursuers might
also be avoided. He sent Xury to relieve the governor at the wheel, and
ordered him to hold the schooner directly across the bay toward the main
land. His plan was to run as close to the shore as the depth of the
water would permit. It was dark in the shadow of the bluffs, and if
there were any tugs between him and the entrance to the bay, he hoped to
run by them unnoticed.

Now that the danger attending the crossing of the shoals was passed, the
Crusoe men could think about other matters. Tom and the governor, after
exulting over their escape, pondered upon the failure of their plan for
obtaining possession of the valise, and Atkins nursed his wrath against
the officers of the band. The mutineer no longer desired the success of
the expedition. All he cared for was to insure his own safety, and to be
revenged upon the governor, Tom, and Xury.

"We'll never see Crusoe's island nohow," said he, to himself. "Tommy
aint sailor enough to take us through a bay twenty-five miles long, with
tugs runnin' up an' down it all the time lookin' fur us. We're bound to
be ketched sooner or later. But just s'pose we do find our island! What
fun will I see livin' there? It'll be Atkins, Atkins, all the whole
time. Atkins will have to do every thing, and them lazy officers will
sit around in the shade an' see me work. I aint a going to be a servant
fur nobody, an' the best thing I can do is to leave the band. Jack
Spaniard, come here."

The governor was well enough acquainted with Atkins to know that, after
what had transpired at the bridge, it was best to keep a close watch
over him. When he saw him standing sullen and alone on the forecastle,
he knew that he was brooding over his wrongs, and, when Jack Spaniard
joined him, Sam was sure there was mischief brewing. He saw them engage
in a whispered consultation, and, when he could stand it no longer, he
walked up to them, and laid a hand upon the shoulder of each.

"See here, my hearties," said he, "what's goin' on? It looks mighty
suspicious to see your two heads so close together. Be you studyin' up
another mutiny? If you are, you can bear two things in mind: One is,
that you will come out at the little end of the horn, just as you did
before. The other, that you won't get off so easy, by no means."

"We aint quite s